special agent

special education teacher

data scientist

information systems manager

criminal investigator

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

I am currently an FBI SOS (Staff Operations Specialist). I was offered the IA (Intelligence Analyst) but turned it down to keep my SOS position. The difference is that a SOS does TACTICAL analysis and research, whereas an IA reviews trends and other reporting in their Area of Responsibility (AOR). I am glad I chose the SOS position. (As a side note, I know of two other SOSs who declined the IA spot and chose to keep their SOS position).  

The IA on my squad reads reporting all day and then compiles a report based on those reports. Snooze....zzzz....I would hate that. Now when you want a deep dive into a subject (where you get paid to be a cyber sleuth/stalker) you ask the SOS. The SOS is your social media researcher and general all purpose analyst. 

Sadly, the SOS only goes to a grade 12 and an IA goes to a grade 13. There is talk of eventually moving the SOS up an additional grade, but that can be a ways off. The FBI field offices love the SOS position and collectively the FBI is asking for an additional 500 SOS positions to grow the SOS cadre. Its tough for some IAs, who thought they would be doing tactical analysis, to watch all the tactical inquiries being handed off to the SOS. 

In the beginning, the intel positions were created post 9/11 to address the urgent need for organized intelligence collection with a structure that assured sharing with other law enforcement bodies. The SOS position was thought of as an entry level position, aka a stepping stone to the IA or SA position. Just recently the FBI Powers that Be acknowledged that it is actually a "destination position" for many and to assume that someone wants to use it as a stepping stone to an SA or IA position is sorely mistaken. The SOSs across the Bureau made that abundantly clear as more of them are chosing to stay in the SOS position rather than taken an open IA position (when they have properly applied and gone through the formal IA process. I think a lot of us do it just to show we can.)  You do not get offered an IA job when you are an SOS. You have to apply for it like everyone else...just want that to be clear on that. 

   The SOS class is about 5 weeks long (Its changing, so it could be 4 weeks or maybe 6 weeks, its being revamped at this time.) But like the Special Agent training and the Intelligence Analyst training...the SOS training at Quantico is HIGH STAKES. Meaning if you fail the training you do not get the job. Period.  

I love working at the FBI. Its truly is a job like no other. I am excited to go to work and make a difference every day.

I spent five years as an Intelligence Analyst at the FBI, and overall, I found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience.

The work was always stimulating and varied, with each day bringing new challenges. I had the opportunity to work on complex cases that required deep analytical thinking and attention to detail. The learning opportunities were endless, and I felt like I was truly contributing to the security of our country, which was very fulfilling.

The FBI provided excellent training programs, allowing me to continuously expand my skill set and learn about new areas of intelligence and law enforcement. There were also opportunities for advancement, and I appreciated the clear career progression pathway.

One of the best parts of the job was my colleagues. They were a diverse group of dedicated and talented individuals who were always ready to collaborate and support each other.

However, the job was not without its challenges. The work could be highly stressful at times, with long hours and high-stakes assignments. It was not unusual to have to work weekends or to be called in on short notice. The nature of the work also required a high level of confidentiality, which can be difficult to navigate in personal life.

Work-life balance was a challenge due to the demanding nature of the job, and this is an area where the agency could potentially improve. More support for stress management would have been appreciated.

Despite these challenges, working for the FBI as an Intelligence Analyst was a truly unique experience. It's not a job for everyone, but for those with a passion for law enforcement and intelligence work, it's a role that can provide immense personal and professional satisfaction.

Over 2 decades of customer support experience.  Which includes the United States Air Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Only a daily basis, my job entails meeting with customers to solve computer related problems which revolve around hard-ware and software issues.  I also provide training and problem-solving situations to alleviate and satisfy internal customers trouble-tickets.  I also provide telephone support as well as working on databases and Active Directory usage.

During my my tenure at the FBI, I have learned that everything must be balanced.  Meaning, I am able to adjust the emergencies from my regular day-to-day activities.  This has helped me to learn how to prioritize my job.

My management is a great source of inspiration.  On a rotational basis, management allows myself and my co-workers to have the opportunity to supervise as their relief.  I believe this is a great learning tool in helping anyone to grow as a potential supervisor. 

Daily, I have the opportunity to work with some great co-workers.  We  have a great environment and assist each other with the day-to-day activities of the job.

The hardest part of the job is pulling myself away from my desk.  There are so many computer related jobs that I enjoy learning it is sometimes difficult to pull myself away at the conclusion of my day.

The most enjoyable part of my job is working for the greatest law enforcement agency in the world.  Knowing that even changing a password can make a difference in protecting this country this is very pleasing to me.

I was a Special Agent for over 27 years. I found the Bureau to be everything I could have asked for in a law enforcement career. It was often times stressful filled with long work hours and I was transferred 5 times all around the country. As a Special Agent who worked primarily criminal investigations, I really felt that I was able to help protect people and make a positive contribution to our country. Almost everyday was exciting and different. As long as you demonstrate you are competent, a self-starter, and are able to obtain results, management for the most part stays out of your way. There are downsides to the job which cannot be overlooked. The job can be very stressful from having so much responsibility and you can  potentially get into a lot of trouble based on what you did or didn't do in an investigation. If you work criminal matters, you at some point will find yourself in a life threatening situation. You will work long hours and be on call every day dependent on what is happening in your investigations or in the investigations being conducted by your peers. More than likely you will be transferred at least 2x in your career. Mine included varied places like New Mexico, Michigan, Texas, and FBIHQ. Although tough on the family, I found being transferred to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. In conclusion, the Bureau is a great place to work and there is a niche for everyone from criminal investigators, intelligence agents, HRT operators, to pilots etc.

A typical day in the life of a Federal Bureau employee consits of having very technical databasing skills, handling life or death experiences in immediate time, maintaining composer when dealing with the community/ victims, and making sure important documents are complete, secure, and filed properly. I learned that in stressful situations, taking a deep breath and analyzing my strategy, will help me conduct professionalism in a timely manner.

There are different levels of management within the Bureau. My managers well very highly skilled when handling fairness and equality. I DO NOT have anything negative to say about my managers, and working with and for them was a great opportunity.

Working with different types of people within my workplace was a difficult experience at first, but once understanding was maintained, the worklife was great. Knowing boundries and keeping teamwork first, really makes achievement possible. The hardest part of the job was dealing with irate callers at all hours of the job. Alot of people think that the Government isn't out to help the public, but in actuality, we try to help the public as much as possible with integrity being a key factor.

In the end, the most enjoyable part of the job was working as one of the highest and most respectable branches of Government in the United States of America. Being able to help the community, save lives, and make sure keeping bad guys off the streets made me feel honored to work for such a great establishment.

The work that the men and women of the FBI do is important and detremental to the safety of the United States. Working in this environment every day can be so exciting no matter what role you hold, in the field or at HQ. It's a federal position, so that comes with federal pay, which is generally lower than the private sector. The benefits are very average compared to any of the Fortune 500 as well. No one here is working for the money, they are all here to support the mission.

Career progression is really what you make it, you definitely won't be pigeon holed here as people have made jumps from administrative professional staff to intel analyst or special agent. However, career progression is not always a ladder up, often requiring relocation around the country or to D.C. Sometimes at your expense, other times at the Bu's. If you are looking at becoming an analyst or agent, expect to have little say in where you get placed as it is ultimately at the discretion of HQ to place you where the need is.

Field offices are mostly insulated from the drama in Washington, but as of late it has become an almost hostile environment to work in. The vilianization of the federal workforce is becoming significant and is distracting to employees who have no allegiance to any person, rather to keeping the country safe.

Overall, the FBI is a fantastic organization where you will work alongside some of the best and brightest. However, this can come at the expense of personal career or financial growth.

I have been a Legal Instruments Examiner with the FBI since 2000 in the NICS Operations Unit and in the NICS Appeal Services Team. There is a great deal of research and analysis of criminal records involved in this job including research of NCIC  records, FBI records, internal scanned document files (DDF), and Westlaw. I must apply ten federal prohibitors and multiple state prohibitors to each transaction's criminal history to determine if a potential gun purchaser is prohibited from possessing or purchasing a firearm in his state of residence, state of purchase, and state of criminal record.  
The most difficult part of this job is applying the ever-changing legal statutes accurately to diverse transactions while keeping in mind the state of the potentially prohibiting record, the state of purchase and the state of residence, all of which can affect the final decision of denial or approval for a firearm purchase.
The most enjoyable parts of the job are my relationships with my fellow employees and the camaraderie we share, helping each other, giving guidance to less experienced examiners, and accomplishing the necessary workload while supporting and caring about each other.

Was a very exciting position as I worked in the Directors Office of Public Affairs. I created many first time projects and led teams of designers, writers on top level projects. Worked in the Chicago Field Office for 4 years and Corporate Headquarters in Washington, DC for two years. I unfortunately had to leave DC as there was a medical issue at my home in Chicago.
My typical day included about 30% meetings, 30% production, 20% leadership and 20% administration.
I worked with top management on projects which was a great learning opportunity. I held a top secret clearance which afforded me access to all FBI projects. 
The hardest part of my job was since I was in public affairs I was the team lead in a group of writers and designers and my immediate boss was a writer with no background in in design or communications. Many co-workers were unhappy with this situation. I had been hired by a very supportive manager who unfortunately left our division.
The most enjoyable part of my job was the exciting projects I was either the lead on or a major contributor and many are shown on my portfolio website.

Typical workday: starts early (7am  or earlier), min. ten hour workday sometimes stretches longer.  Depending on squad assigned to  at the time, either prepping investigative equipment & installing it; conducting interviews; following a subject during surveillance; or reviewing & cataloging evidence. 

I  learned to work efficiently under pressure, solving unexpected problems quickly using experience and sometimes out-of-the-box thinking.

 Management: good for the most part, but can sometimes get a boss who is not the best fit for the position. Depends on the office or division assigned.

Workplace culture: supportive, focusing on accomplishment of the FBI mission.  Management tries to give all the tools necessary to resolve cases but is not always successful in that endeavor.

Hardest part: time away from family.  On Aviation Unit spent 5-10 days every few months deployed away from office.  On Tech Squad deployed nationwide & overseas several times, anywhere from couple days to several months.

Most enjoyable:  camaraderie, feeling of accomplishment, opportunity to participate in many varied aspects of law enforcement & intelligence.  FBI careers vary, but I was given the chance to do many different things in the FBI.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The work you do is almost always life changing for someone, including yourself.  You get exposed to a lot of reality and it gives you great perspective.  You get to learn things from a world of subject matter experts in any field.  Every day is a new adventure.  Nothing is mundane.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Managing office politics can be a challenge at times.  It is all good... up until the moment that it is not.  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Culture depends on the people at the office where you work and who is in charge at that office.  Generally, the people are awesome and well meaning people with a lot of unique life experiences.  You can make great and lasting friendships and the work environment is flexible with your own work ethic.  If you are a hard charger, you will rise to where you want to be.  If you prefer the easy 8-5, you can find that too, by working your way into bank fraud cases or some such.  If you like travel and international intrigue, there is that too.  Opportunities are endless.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Adventurous and unpredictable.  It is rare to have a day end up how I perceived it would be when I woke up in the morning.  It's great if you like adventure and ambiguity.  If you like predictability and stagnation, this is not the place to be.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Special agent 8344 salaries reported	$116,776 per year
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Criminal investigator 35 salaries reported	$128,232 per year

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